Adjustable reclining chair with coordinated leg-rest control means



Nov. 20, 1962 P. s. FLETCHER 3,065,024

ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR WITH COORDINATED LEG-REST CONTROL MEANS 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 5, 1958 INVENTOR. PETER STEWH RT FLETCHER ATTOR VE Y5 Nov. 20, 1962 P. s. FLETCHER 3,065,024

ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR WITH COORDINATED LEG-REST CONTROL MEANS FiledNOV. 5, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INI'ENTOR. PE FER STEWHRT FLETCHERATT'ORIVE Y5 Nov. 20, 1962 P. s. FLETCHER 3,065,024

ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR WITH COORDINATED LEG-REST CONTROL MEANS FiledNov. 5, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TOR. PETER srewmzr FLETIHFR MHZ ATffR/VE )5 P. s. FLETCHER 3,065,024 ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR WITHCOORDINATED LEG-REST CONTROL MEANS Nov. 20, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledNov. 5, 1958 PETER STEWART FLETCHEI A I'TORIVEYS Nov. 20, 1962 P. s.FLETCHER ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR WITH COORDINATED LEG-REST CONTROLMEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 5, 1958 r INVENTOR. 8&0 82% PETERsrzwmzrnrrmm Lat mm s 1?! FEE/m L I C:

Nov. 20, 1962 P. s. FLETCHER ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR WITH COORDINATEDLEG-REST CONTROL MEANS 6 SheetsSheet 6 Filed NOV. 5, 1958 SIG:

INVENTOR. PETER STEWART FLETCHER ATTORIV United States Patent Ofiice3,055,024 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,065,024 ADJUSTABLE REQLHNING CHAIRWETH Cit-ORDE- NATED LEG-REST CONTROL MEAN Peter Stewart Fletcher,Boynton Beach, Fla, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla. FiledNov. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 771391 6 Qlairns. (Cl. 297-89) This inventionrelates to articles of furniture and in particular to a new and improvedreclining chair of the type in which body-supporting means are rockablymounted on a support and a leg-rest is mounted for coordinated movementwith the body-supporting means.

This application contains subject matter which is common with that of myco-pending United States patent ap plications, Serial Nos. 495,684 and495,685 both filed March 21, 1955 and both now abandoned, and constitutes a coutinuation-in-part of said application.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reclining chair ofthe above-described type with a mechanism for propelling a leg-restforwardly and upwardly during movement of the body-supporting means froma sitting position into a reclined position, the leg-rest mechanismbeing so arranged and constructed that the leg-rest is positioned arelatively long distance from the front edge of the seat when the seatis in an extreme reclined position, so that tall persons having longlegs may rest comfortably on such a reclining chair.

Another obpect of the invention is the provision, in a reclining chairof the type described, of an improved legrest linkage construction foractuating and guiding the legrest in its coordinated movement with thebody-supporting means, the linkage having a single connection to theseat whereby its movement is independent of movement of the seat and canbe controlled to provide desired paths of movement relative to thebody-supporting means without changing the general structure of thelinkage.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a leg-restactuating and guiding linkage of the character described which is soarranged and constructed as to provide a leg-rest movement in whichsubstantially all of the outward translation of the leg-rest relative tothe seat is accomplished during the initial movement of thebodysupporting means at a time when the occupants legs are disposedvertically, and during the further movement of the body-supporting meansthe leg-rest is rotated substantially vertically relative to the seat,thereby preventing the usual rubbing motion of the leg-rest against thelegs, which rubbing motion is uncomfortable and undesirable when thefull weight of the occupants legs is on the leg-rest.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a recliningchair in which the body-supporting means in the nature of a back-restand seat is movably mounted on a support frame and a leg-rest isprovided with a leg-rest linkage responsive to movement of thebody-supporting means. The leg-rest linkage includes a control link, apair of rearwardly-extending links pivotally connected at spaced pointsto the leg-rest and a pair of depending links pivotally connected atspaced points to the control link. Pivot means are provided connectingthe pair of rearwardly-extending links with the pair of depending links,with one depending link connected to both rearwardly-extending links andthe other depending link connected to one of the rearwardly-extendinglinks. The single connection of the leg-rest linkage to the seat isprovided by an upstanding extension on one of the depending links whichis pivotally connected to the forward portion of the seat, the otherdepending link terminating at the control link. The leg-rest linkage isactuated by drive means which is responsive to movement of thebody-supporting means and is connected to the control link forcoordinated movement of the leg-rest linkage with the body-supportingmeans. To provide an initial forward movement and a subsequent upwardmovement of the leg-rest, the depending link which has the extensionconnected to the seat, is inclined rearwardly and downwardly.

The above brief description as well as additional objects and advantagesof the invention will become apparent during the course of the followingspecification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an adjustable reclining armchairaccording to the invention, a portion of a side wall being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a diflierent embodiment of anarmchair according to the invention, a portion of a side well beingbroken away;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of an armchairaccording to the invention, a portion of a side wall being broken away;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of an armchairaccording to the invention, a portion of a side wall being broken away;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of anarmchair according to the invention, a portion of a side wall beingbroken away;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a further embodi ment of anadjustable reclining armchair according to the invention, a portion of aside wall being broken away;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a different embodiment of anarmchair according to the invention, a portion of a side wall beingbroken away;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of an armchairaccording to the invention, a portion of a side wall being broken away;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of an armchairaccording to the invention, a portion of a side wall being broken away;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of still another embodirnent of anarmchair according to the invention, a portion of a side wall beingbroken away; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view .similar to that shown in FIG. 10,wherein however the movable members of the chair are in a differentposition.

Referring now to FIG. 1, 10 generally indicates a support comprisingside walls 12 and 14 connected with each other in any suitable manner.

A back-rest 16 and a seat 18, constituting the bodysupporting means ofthe chair, are swingably mounted on said support It? at 20. If desired,however, the pivotal connections between the support ll lt and the backrest 16 on one hand and the seat 18 on the other hand could be spacedfrom each other.

On each side of the chair the upper end of a guiding link 22 isswingably mounted on the support 10 at 24. Furthermore, on each side ofthe chair a downward ex= tension 26 is rigidly connected with theback-rest 16. The rear end of a control link 28 is pivoted at 34) to thelower end of the downward extension 26 of the back rest 16. Furthermore,said control link 28 is pivoted at an intermediate point. 32 thereof tothe lower end of the guiding link 22.

At its forward end, the control link 28 carries a leg-rest linkage whichsupports a leg-rest 46. The leg-rest linkage includes a pair of links 36and 48 which are pivotally mounted at spaced points on the front end ofthe control link 23 by respective pivots 34 and 54, and which dependfrom said control link. The leg-rest linkage also includes a pair ofrearwardly-extending links 38 and which are mounted at spaced points onthe leg-rest 46 by respective pivots 44 and 58. Connecting means, in thenature of pivotal connections, are provided to couple 3 the dependingpair of links 36 and 48 with the rearwardly-extending pair of links 38and 50. In the form of reclining chair illustrated in FIG. 1, the frontdepending link 36 is connected to both of the rearwardly-extendinglinks; a pivot 56 connecting it to an intermediate point on therearwardly-extending link 50 and a pivot 40 connecting it to the rearend of the rearwardly-extending link 38. The other depending link 48 isconnected to only one rearwardly-extending link, a pivot 52 connectingit to the rear end of the rearwardly-extending link 58.

The front depending link 36 has an upstanding rigid extension 36a whichprojects upwardly above the pivot 34 on the control link 28, and isconnected to the lower forward portion of the seat 18 by a pivot 42. Onthe other hand, it will be observed that the rear depending link 48terminates at its pivotal connection 54 on the control link.

When the occupant of the chair leans the weight of his body against theback-rest 16 for urging the same into the reclined position shown indotted line at 16' in FIG. 1, the mechanism described above causes amovement of the seat 18 from the sitting position, shown in full line,to the reclining position shown in broken line at 18. At the same time,the leg-rest 46 is propelled forwardly and upwardly from a retractedposition beneath the forward end of the seat to an extended position,shown in broken line at 46', in which it is substantially at the levelof the forward end of the seat and its rear end 60' is spaced forwardlyof the front end 62' of the seat. The legrest is spaced forwardly aconsiderable distance from the front end of the seat so that a tallperson having long legs may comfortably rest on the chair in thereclined position.

It will be observed that a pair of connected four-bar linkages is formedby the two pairs of links, one fourbar linkage being formed by thedepending link 48, the portion of the control link 28 between pivots 34and 54, the portion of the depending link 36 between pivots 34 and 56,and the portion of the rearwardly-extending link 50 between pivots 52and 56. The other four-bar linkage is formed by the portion of thedepending link 36 between the pivots 40 and 56, the portion of therearwardly-extending link 50 between the pivots 56 and 58, therearwardly-extending link 38, and the portion of the leg-rest betweenthe pivots 44 and 58. While pairs of interconnected four bar linkageshave hitherto been utilized, as such, in leg-rest linkages for recliningchairs, an important feature of this invention resides in the mountingof the linkage on the control link 28 with only a single connection ofthe linkage to the seat 18. The legrest linkage is thus controlled byand guided by the control link 28, and its path of movement is notlimited by the seat. Hence, upon rearward tilting movement of theback-rest, the leg-rest may be made to move in a variety of selectedpaths determined by regulating the path of movement of the control link28.

As an example, it will be observed that the front depending link 36 isinclined rearwardly and downwardly from its pivotal connection 42 withthe seat. Thus, when the leg-rest linkage is actuated the link 36 willpivot first forwardly and downwardly, then upwardly about its pivotalconnection 42, causing the control link 28 to move forwardly and thenupwardly relative to the seat. As a result, the leg-rest is guided in afirst path of movement which is essentially forward, and a subsequentpath of movement which is essentially upward. This has the effect ofconfining the outward or forward movement of the leg-rest to the initialreclining movement of the chair at a time when the users legs arehanging downwardly. When the users legs are raised to such a positionthat their weight is supported by the leg-rest, the leg-rest istravelling upwardly in the second phase of movement. Consequently, therubbing action of the leg- Test against the legs, usually encountered ina reclining chair of this type, is wholly or substantially eliminated.

The reclining chair shown in FIG. 2 is generally similar in constructionto the chair of FIG. 1 and like parts are designated by similarreference numerals, although for clarity, the numerals are preceded bythe numeral 1, that is to say, they are part of a series. In this view,the rockable arrangement of the back-rest 116 and the seat 118 on thesupport and the arrangement of the linkage 122, 126 for actuating andguiding the control link 128 is the same as that described above inconnection with FIG. 1.

Again the chair illustrated in FIG. 2 has a pair of depending links 148and 136 connected at spaced points to the forward end of the controllink 128 by spaced pivots 134 and 154. The leg-rest 146 is carried bythe pair of rearwardly extending links 138 and 150, the latter beingconnected to spaced points on said leg-rest by respective pivots 144 and158. The interconnection of the pairs of links to form the connectedfour bar linkages differs somewhat from that shown in FIG. 1. The frontdepending link 136 is pivoted at to the rear end of therearwardly-extending link 138 and is also pivoted at 166 to anintermediate point on the rearwardly-extending link 150. The reardepending link 148 is pivoted at 168 to the rear end of the link 150.

The front depending link 136 again has an upstanding rigid extension136a which is pivotally connected at pivot 1-42 to the seat 118. Thelink 136 is rearwardly and downwardly inclined in the manner previouslydescribed.

The sitting position of the chair and the corresponding retractedposition of the leg-rest is shown in full line in FIG. 2, while thereclining position of the chair and extended position of the leg-rest isshown in broken line. The coordinated movement of the leg-rest is thesame as that described previously in connection with FIG. 1.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, again the rockablearrangement of the back-rest 216 and the seat 218 on the support 210 andthe arrangement of the linkage 222, 226, for actuating and guiding thecontrol link 228 are the same as those described above in connectionwith FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, the leg-rest linkage comprises adepending pair of links 236, 248 and a rearwardly-extending pair oflinks 238, 250. The front depending link 236 has an upstanding extension236a pivoted to the seat 218 at pivot 242 and is mounted on the controllink 228 at 234. The rear depending link 248 is pivotally mounted on thecontrol link 228 by pivot 254. The front ends of therearwardly-extending links 238, 250 are connected to the leg-rest 246'by respective pivots 244 and 258. The rear depending link 248 in thisinstance is connected to both rearwardly-extending links 238 and 250 byrespective pivots 270, 274, while the front depending link 236 isconnected to the middle of link 238 by pivot 272. The front dependinglink 236 is again inclined rearwardly and downwardly from its seat pivot242.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair is shown infull line in FIG. 3, while the extreme reclined position of the movablemembers of the chair is shown in broken line.

The embodiment of a chair shown in FIG. 4 again incorporates the samerockable arrangement of the backrest 316 and seat 318 on the support 310as the embodiments shown in the previously described FIGS. 1-3.Furthermore, again the arrangement of the guiding and actuating linkage322, 326 for control link 328 is the same as that described in saidFIGS. 1-3. The front depending link 336 is pivotally mounted on thefront end of the control link 328 by pivot 334 and has an upstandinglinks 333 and 356 by respective pivots 374 and 370, while the frontdepending link 336 is in this instance connected to the lowerrearwardly-extending link 338 by a pivot 375. The front depending linkis inclined rearwardly and downwardly to provide an initial forward andsubsequent up ward movement of the leg-rest as previously described.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair are shown infull line in FIG. 4, while the extreme reclined position of the movablemembers of the chair is shown in broken line.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the back-rest 416 and theseat 418 are rigidly connected with each other so as to form an integralunit generally indicated by 476. Said unit 476 includes a rigid downwardextension 473 which is swingably mounted on the support 413 at 469, sothat said unit 476 may perform rocking movements.

A first guiding link 422 is swingably mounted on the support 416 at 424.A second guiding link 482 is swingably mounted on the support 410 at484. A control link 428 is pivoted to the lower ends of said two guidinglinks 422 and 482 at 4-32 and 486' respectively.

The leg-rest control substantially corresponds to the mechanism shown inFIG. 1. Again the pair of depending links 436 and 443 are pivotallymounted at spaced points on the forward end of the control link .28 bypivots 434 and 454. The front depending link 436 has an upstandingextension 436:; connected to the seat at 442. The front ends of therearwardly-extending pair of links 433 and 456 are pivoted to spacedpoints on the leg-rest 446 by respective pivots 444 and 458. The frontdepending link 4-36 is connected to both rearwardly extending links 438and 456 by respective pivots 446 and 656, while the rear depending linkis connected to link 450 by pivot 452. The front depending link 436again extends rearwardly and downwardly from its seat pivot 442.

When a person resting on the chair rocks the unit 476 around the pivot48% from the sitting position shown in full lines into the reclinedposition 476 shown in broken line, the leg-rest 446 is moved upwardlyand forwardly by means of the above-described linkage from the retractedposition shown in full line to the extended position shown in brokenline at 446'. In said extended position 446, the upper edge of theleg-rest is at a larger distance from the front edge of the seat than inthe retracted position. In this instance the drive for the leg-restmovement is produced by the upward movement of the seat at pivot 442,but the leg-rest movement is still substantially independent of the seatand is guided and controlled entirely by control link 328 to produce themovements previously described. The control link movement is in turncontrolled by the guiding links 422 and 482, and its movement cooperateswith the downwardly and rearwardly-inclined link 436 to produce aninitial forward and subsequent upward movement of the legrest.

In the various embodiments of reclining chairs heretofore illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 5, the front depending link has been provided with anupstanding extension connected to the seat and constituting the onlyconnection of the legrest linkage to the seat. In accordance with myinvention, alternate structures may be produced in which the reardepending link has the upstanding extension connected to the seat. FIGS.6 to 11 illustrate such forms of the invention.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the back-rest 516 and seat 518 aremade as independently-movable elements and both are mounted on thesupport 510 at a common pivot 526. The control link 528 is supported andguided by the guiding link 522 which is connected by pivot 532 to anintermediate point on the control link. The rear end of the control link528 is connected by pivot 53% to a depending extension 526 of theback-rest 516 for actuation in response to tilting movement of saidback-rest.

A pair of depending links 534 and 538 are mounted at the forward end ofthe control link 528 by respective pivots 546 and 550. A pair ofrearwardly-extending links 536 and 540 are connected at spaced points onthe leg-rest 552 by respective pivots 554 and 556. The rear dependinglink 538 is connected to the ends of both rearwardly-extending links 536and 540 by respective pivots 562 and 544. The front depending link 534is connected to an intermediate point on the link 536 by a pivot 542.

In this instance, the rear depending link 538 has the upright rigidextension 538a extending above the pivot 550 and connected to theforward end of the seat 518 by pivot 548. Again, the leg-rest linkage ismounted for movement independently of the seat, because of this singleseat connection, the path of movement of the leg-rest being determinedby the movement of the control link 523. Again, the link connected tothe seat, in this instance the rear depending link 538, is inclinedrearwardly and downwardly to provide an initial forward movement of thelegrest and a subsequent upward movement, as previously described.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, again the rockablearrangement of the back-rest 616 and the seat 618 on the support 619 andthe arrangement of the guiding linkage 622, 626, 628 are the same asthose of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

Again the chair illustrated in FIG. 7 has a pair of depending links 634and 638 connected at spaced points to the forward end of the controllink 628 by spaced pivots 646 and 650. The leg-rest 652 is carried bythe pair of rearwardly-extending links 636 and 640, the latter beingconnected to spaced points on said leg-rest by respective pivots 654 and656. The interconnection of the pairs of links to form the connectedfour bar linkages differs somewhat from that shown in FIG. 6. The frontdepending link 634 is pivoted at 642 to the rear end of therearwardlyextending link 636, and is also pivoted at 666 to anintermediate point on the rearwardly-extending link 6%. The reardepending link 638 is pivoted at 644 to the rear end of the link 640.

The rear depending link 638 again has an upstanding rigid extension 638awhich is pivotally connected at pivot 643 to the seat 618. The link 638is rearwardly and downwardly inclined in the manner previouslydescribed.

The sitting position of the chair and the corresponding retractedposition of the leg-rest is shown in full line in FIG. 7, while thereclining position of the chair and extended position of the leg-rest isshown in broken line. The coordinated movement of the leg-rest is thesame as that described previously in connection with FIG. 6.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, again the rockablearrangement of the back-rest 716 and the seat 718 on the support 710 andthe arrangement of the linkage 772, 726 for actuating and guiding thecontrol link 728 are the same as those described above in connectionwith FIGS. 6 and 7. Furthermore, the leg-rest linkage comprises adepending pair of links 734, 738 and a rearwardly-extending pair oflinks 736, 740. The rear depending link 738 has an upstanding extension733a pivoted to the seat 718 at pivot 748 and is mounted on the controllink 728 at th. The front depending link 734- is povtally mounted on thecontrol link 728 by pivot 746. The front ends of therearwardly-extending links 736, 740 are connected to the leg-rest 752 byrespective pivots 754 and 756. The front depending link 734 in thisinstance is connected to both rearwardly-extending links 736 and 749 byrespective pivots 766, 768, while the rear depending link 738 isconnected to the end of link 740 by pivot 77%). The rear depending link738 is again inclined rearwardly and downwardly from its seat pivot 748.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair is shown infull line in FIG. 8, while the extreme re clined position of the movablemembers of the chair is shown in broken line.

The embodiment of a chair shown in FIG. 9 again incorporates the samerockable arrangement of the backrest 816 and seat 818 on the support 810as the embodiment shown in the previously described FIGS. 68.Furthermore, again the arrangement of the guiding and actuating linkage822, 826 for control link 82-8 is the same as that described in saidFIGS. 6-8. The rear depending link 838 is pivotally mounted on theforward end of the control link 828 by pivot 850 and has an upstandingextension 838a which is pivoted to the seat 818 at 848. The frontdepending link 834 is pivotally mounted at its top end on the controllink 828 by pivot 846 at a point spaced forwardly of the pivot 850. Therearwardly-extending pair of links 836 and 848 are pivoted to thelegrest 852 at 854 and 856 respectively. The rear depending link 838 isconnected to both rearwardly-extending links 836 and 840 by respectivepivots 872 and 871, while the front depending link 834 is in thisinstance connected to the lower rearwardly-extending link 836 by a pivot873. The rear depending link 838 is inclined rearwardly and downwardlyto provide an initial forward and subsequent upward movement of theleg-rest as previously described.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair are shown infull line in FIG. 9, while the extreme reclined position of the movablemebers of the chair is shown in broken line.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the back-rest 916and the seat 918 are rigidly connected with each other so as to form anintegral unit generally indicated by 974. Said unit 974 includes a rigiddownward extension 976 which is swingably mounted on the support 910 at978, so that said unit 974 may perform rocking movements.

A first guiding link 922 is swingably mounted on the support 910 at 924.A second guiding link 980 is swingably mounted on the support 910 at982. A control link 928 is pivoted to the lower ends of said two guidinglinks 922 and 980 at 932 and 984 respectively.

A pair of depending links 934 and 938 are pivotally mounted at spacedpoints on the forward end of the control link 928 by pivots 946 and951). The rear depending link 938 has an upstanding extension 938aconnected to the seat at 948. The front ends of the rearwardly-extendingpair of links 936 and 948 are pivoted to spaced points on the leg-rest952 by respective pivots 954 and 956. The front depending link 934 isconnected to both rearwardly-extending links 936 and 940 by respectivepivots 942 and 968, while the rear depending link 938 is connected tolink 940 by pivot 944. The rear depending link 938 again extendsrearwardly and downwardly from its seat pivot 948.

When a person resting on the chair rocks the unit 974 around the pivot978 from the sitting position shown in FIG. 10 into the reclinedposition shown in FIG. 11, the leg-rest 952 is moved upwardly andforwardly by means of the above-described linkage from the retractedposition shown in FIG. 10 to the extended position shown in FIG. 11. Insaid extended position of FIG. 11, the upper edge of the leg-rest is ata larger distance from the front edge of the seat than in the retractedposition. In this instance the drive for the leg-rest movement isproduced by the upward movement of the seat at pivot 948, but theleg-rest movement is still substantially independent of the seat and isguided and controlled entirely by control link 928 to produce themovements previously described. The control link movement is in turncontrolled by the guiding links 922 and 980, and its movement cooperateswith the downwardly and rearwardly-inclined link 938 to produce aninitial forward and subsequent upward movement of the leg-rest.

It should be observed that in the various embodiments of the inventionillustrated herein, either one or the other of the two depending linksare connected to the seat, but in either instance the single connectionto the seat provides a movement of the leg-rest which is not controlledby the seat. In addition, in each instance the depending link which isconnected to the seat is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from suchpoint of connec tion.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed herein, it is obvious that numerous additions, changes, andomissions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

For example, each of the embodiments may be provided with means forlimiting the sitting and extreme reclined positions and furthermore withmeans for locking the movable members of the chair in any desiredposition.

What is claimed is:

1. A reclining chair including a support, body-supporting meansincluding a seat and a back-rest, means movably mounting saidbody-supporting means on said support for tilting movement, a leg-rest,a leg-rest linkage, said leg-rest linkage including a control link, afirst pair of links pivoted together with the free end of one linkpivoted to the control link at its forward end at a first control pivot,a second pair of links pivoted together with the free end of one linkpivoted to the control link at a second control pivot spaced from saidfirst control pivot, the free ends of the other links of said pairsbeing operatively connected to said leg-rest, and coordinated meanscoupling said pairs of links to constrain said leg-rest to move in apredetermined path relative to said control link, mounting meansmounting said control link on said support for turning movement relativeto said seat, said mounting means including a guide link pivotallymounted on the support and pivoted to an intermediate point on saidcontrol link, said turning movement of said control link beingdetermined substantially by the action of said guide link to guide saidcontrol pivots in predetermined paths relative to said support,actuating means operatively connecting one of said pairs of links andsaid control link to said body-supporting means including a rigidextension of one of said one links of said pairs of links beyond itspivotal connection to said control link, said extension beingoperatively connected to said seat, said actuating means also includingmeans operatively connecting the body-supporting means to the rearportion of said control link for coordinating movement of said leg-restwith the movement of said body supporting means, said pairs of linksbeing actuated at one rate and said control link at another rate by saidactuating means in dependence on said tilting movement of saidbody-supporting means to guide said leg-rest relative to said support ina path determined by said path of said leg-rest relative to said controllink, said paths of said control pivots, and said rates of actuation ofsaid pairs of links and said control link.

2. A reclining chair including a support, body-supporting meansincluding a seat and a back-rest, means movably mounting saidbody-supporting means on said support for tilting movement, a leg-rest,a leg-rest linkage, said leg-rest linkage including a control link, afirst pair of links pivoted together with the free end of one linkpivoted to the control link at its forward end at a first control pivot,a second pair of links pivoted together with the free end of one linkpivoted to the control link at a second control pivot spaced rearwardlyfrom said first control pivot, the free ends of the other links of saidpairs being operatively connected to said leg-rest, and coordinatedmeans coupling said pairs of links to constrain said leg-rest to move ina predetermined path relative to said control link, mounting meansmounting said control link on said support for turning movement relativeto said seat, said mounting means including a guide link pivotallymounted on the support and pivoted to an intermediate point on saidcontrol link, said turning movement of said control link beingdetermined substantially by the action of said guide link to guide saidcontrol pivots in predetermined paths relative to said support,

actuating means operatively connecting one of said pairs of links andsaid control link to said body-supporting means including a rigidextension of one of said one links of said pairs of links beyond itspivotal connection to said control link, said extension beingoperatively connected to said seat, said actuating means also includinga portion of said body-supporting means connected to the rear portion ofsaid control link for cordinating movement of said leg-rest withmovement of said bodysupporting means, said pairs of links beingactuated at one rate and said control link at another rate by saidactuating means in dependence on said tilting movement of saidbody-supporting means to guide said leg-rest relative to said support ina path determined by said path of said leg-rest relative to said controllink, said paths of said control pivots, and said rates of actuation ofsaid pairs of links and said control link.

3. A reclining chair according to claim 2 in which said actuating meansincludes a depending extension of said back-rest connected to the rearportion of the control link.

4. A reclining chair according to claim 2 in which said one link of thefirst pair has said rigid extension.

5. A reclining chair according to claim 2 in which said one link of thesecond pair has said rigid extension.

6. A control arrangement for use in a reclinable chair constructionincluding: a support, a trio of body supporting components consisting ofa seat mounted on said support and a back rockable on said supportbetween sitting and reclining positions and a leg rest supportedrelative to said seat for movement between an inoperative generallyvertically disposed position and an operative generally horizontallydisposed forwardly extended position, a pair of coacting linkagesystems, each linkage systern of said pair thereof consisting of; anextension comprising the lower portion of said back extending downwardlyfrom its connection at said support, a primary link pivotally connectedto a forward portion of said seat, a secondary link spaced from saidseat and back and support, said extension and primary and secondarylinks being spaced from each other, an actuating link interconnectingand in pivotal engagement with said extension and primary and secondarylinks, a pair of spaced leg rest links including a primary leg rest linkand a secondary leg rest link each having forward end portions pivotallyconnected to said leg rest, one of said primary and secondary linksbeing pivotally connected to one of the leg rest links of said pairthereof and the other of said primary and secondary links pivotallyinterconnecting the two leg rest links of said pair thereof, saidextension and primary and secondary and actuating links and the leg restlinks of said pair thereof constituting a shiftable linkage system withthe interconnection of said secondary and actuating links beingshiftable forwardly relative to the interconnection of said primary linkand said seat upon the forward movement of said extension and with thedistance between the pivotal connection connecting said seat and primarylink and the pivotal connection connecting said secondary and actuatinglinks increasing as said back is moved from the sitting position to thereclined position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,672,919 Luckhardt Mar. 23, 1954 2,693,845 Hoffman Nov. 9, 19542,750,988 Luckhardt June 19, 1956 2,779,391 Knabusch Jan. 29, 1957

